While most of the travel industry struggled to recover, the yacht industry had another problem during the pandemic. It is to serve everyone who wants to charter a boat.
As with the increase in private jet travel during a pandemic, charter demand remains “very strong,” said Chrom Little John, chief commercial officer of the yacht brokerage company. Northrop & Johnson.. He said he hopes that this interest will remain “for the foreseeable future.”
But he said that it wasn’t the same person who always traveled the sea.
“Most of our business is our first charter,” said Little John. “They had a ski vacation … they want to try something different.”
Destinations with increasing summer yacht bookings
- Southern France
- Croatia
- Caribbean
- Galapagos Islands
Source: Northrop & Johnson
Insiders share with CNBC seven common mistakes of people unfamiliar with the industry.
Mistake # 1: Hard shell luggage
According to Little John, there are several reasons to keep a hardshell suitcase at home.
He said hard suitcases can damage the fine finish of a yacht, much like they scrape the walls of a hotel room.
“Things can bounce and difficult things can hurt the surface,” Little John said.
In August 1989, military personnel carried Prince Philip’s garment bag to the Royal Yacht Britannia in Lancashire, England.
Tim Graham | Tim Graham Photo Library | Getty Images
Another problem is storing unfoldable suitcases. “How much can you imagine [luggage] If you have hard luggage, you can bring it with a charter of 10 or 12 people, “he said.
“The more soft-sided duffel bag type luggage you have, the better it is for storing and moving your boat,” he said.
Mistake # 2: High heels
Little John said shoes with soft soles are better than high heels, but “please don’t wear shoes on board.”
Travelers are free to pack high heels for land excursions, but even in southern France, where nightlife often makes up the majority of charters, cobblestone roads may make comfortable shoes a better choice. He said he couldn’t.
Participants will take off their shoes before boarding the yacht in Miami, Florida on February 16, 2017.
Scott MacIntyre | Bloomberg | Getty Images
However, shoe rules can depend on the yacht owner, said Dennis Ska, a superyacht influential person. Known as yacht moguls online.
If guests are uncertain about the yacht shoe policy, they can monitor boarding, Ska said. Find a “pair of shoes” [at] The entrance. ” This means that you are not allowed to wear shoes on the boat.
As for what to pack, Ska recommends “keeping light” in clothes that have a “summer atmosphere”. This part of the rule is called “almost stone”.
Mistake # 3: Don’t give way to passers-by
Marcella de Khan, a business consultant for the yacht company, states that each passenger must board one passenger at a time (the aisle used to get on and off the yacht). Onboard Monaco..
“It’s very fragile,” she said. When boarding with ” [the] At the same time, it can break, “and adding this could cause” massive “problems in Greek and Croatian ports, where yacht-to-port transfers are particularly difficult.
Professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Ronaldo will board a yacht in Marbella, Spain on June 1, 2018.
Europa Press Entertainment | Europa Press | Getty Images
“Leaving the yacht is a priority, so if you’re on board and someone else comes down, wait for it to get off first,” de Kern said.
Celebrities like the Kardashian family’s turmoil “have no yacht etiquette,” she said. Video of them disembarking nearbyOne covered in high heels, from a yacht in Portofino.
Mistake # 4: No additional costs planned
New entrants to the industry should not spend their entire budget on charter fees.
“Then you have the rest of the cost,” Little John said. “VAT and drinks and food … using docking and fuel adds an additional 75-100% to the cost of that charter.”
Weekly charters with Northrop & Johnson range from $ 32,000 to $ 490,000, plus costs, according to company representatives.
“Chartering is available at all price points,” he said. He advised travelers to work with a broker who is familiar with the size and location of the boat they want to book.
Without a broker, travelers unfamiliar with the industry “may be paying more for yachts rather than having better yachts at the same price,” Ska said.
Brokers can also match clients with the right crew, Ska said. It’s important because travelers and crew can spend days together, if not weeks at a time, he added.
“Chartering a yacht is not cheap, so [clients] We need to make the most of it. “
Mistake # 5: Not connected to the crew
Knowing the captain and crew is the best way to get first-class service, Ska said.
“When the yacht is docked, the crew will definitely give you the best tips. [on] What to do, where to go [go]”Because restaurants, coffee and other attractions are familiar with the area.”
Dennis Ska, also known as “Yacht Moguls,” advised those unfamiliar with charters to “feel like their own yacht.”
Source: Yacht mogul
If all goes well, the traveler may charter the same yacht again, so he said that establishing a good relationship with the crew first is a further reason.
De Khan of Monaco on board advised travelers to greet the crew at the beginning of the trip.
“Ask for their name, wave their hands and show some respect to the captain on board,” she said.
Mistake # 6: Schedule too many activities
Little John, don’t cramm your days with activities.
For overland excursions, we advised to plan an inland trip within 2 hours per charter week.
“Most people probably spend half a day on a boat, playing water sports … and enjoying the boat itself,” he said. Then the other half of the day may have been spent going on an excursion, get rid of the bid. You may go in and explore … lands and islands. “
Then it returns to the boat for a “great night on board”, he said.
Mistake # 7: Waiting for reservation
Little John recommends booking “as soon as possible”. He said he would start looking somewhere from 6 months to a year.
He said Northrop & Johnson has already booked for Christmas in 2023. Booking this early is not uncommon for larger and more expensive boats, but since the pandemic, “it can also be seen in the midrange,” he said.
But he said there are still some last-minute charters available this summer.
